The present invention relates generally to automated airbag folding machines and, more particularly, to an airbag folding engine on which any one of a number of different airbag folding devices can be removably mounted and airbag folding apparatus adapted to be mounted on the airbag folding engine.
Motor vehicle manufacturers are increasingly installing driver and passenger airbags in their vehicles. Airbags are typically circular, oval or pillow-shaped and are commonly mounted in the steering wheels, steering columns and dashboards of automobiles. Only a limited space is available for storing the airbag. Thus, the airbag is folded into a particular folding pattern to fit within this limited space. The airbag must, however, be capable of unfolding and inflating rapidly without binding. Consequently, the physical characteristics and folding pattern of any one airbag is dictated, in part, by the structure and configuration of the interior of the vehicle in which it is installed. As one would expect, there is a multiplicity of airbag designs and folding patterns to accommodate the numerous vehicle designs. Correspondingly, there are many methods by which an airbag may be folded into a desired folding pattern. Oftentimes, these methods are performed manually; however, manual methods are time-consuming, costly and usually result in airbags having inconsistent folds.
Semi-automated and automated airbag folding machines are being increasingly employed in the industry to overcome the shortcomings of manual folding methods. Unfortunately, due to the differences in the designs and folding patterns of the various airbags, specialized airbag folding machines have to be designed and manufactured for each type of airbag and folding pattern. When a vehicle model is no longer produced, the corresponding airbag folding machine is discarded and a new folding machine must be produced to meet the requirements of the new vehicle models.
Vehicle manufacturers are, therefore, continually discarding usable equipment and expending substantial resources for the design and manufacture of new airbag folding machines. Furthermore, vehicle manufacturers are somewhat restricted in their planning and implementing of the manufacturing process for a new vehicle until a new airbag folding machine is designed. For instance, the manufacturer is unable to allocate and optimize manufacturing space without knowing the physical characteristics of the airbag folding machine, such as size and utilities required. Consequently, "change-over" time from one vehicle model to another vehicle model may be increased.
It is thus apparent that a need exists in the art for a airbag folding machine apparatus which can, at least in substantial part, be used and re-used with a number of types of airbag folding devices. Such apparatus would reduce the cost and development times of new types of airbag folding devices. Further, it would provide a standard "footprint", or floor area, for the numerous airbag folding devices to permit increased flexibility in planning and implementing the manufacturing process for new vehicle models. Such apparatus would preferably use substantially the same utilities for performing airbag folding, such as pressurized gas, pressurized fluid, or electrical power. Further, since the apparatus would be readily adaptable to a wide variety of vehicle models, it could be used for many vehicle models thus further reducing costs by using the same apparatus across a large number of vehicle lines.